Raha International School welcomes reading dog Dexter to boost literacy and wellbeing
Raha International School Gardens Campus has launched a heartwarming new initiative as part of its World Book Week celebrations — the Reading Dogs Programme, designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading in children.
In partnership with Reading Dogs UAE, the school introduced Dexter, a certified therapy dog, to lead special reading sessions in the library.
Research shows that reading aloud to pets can boost fluency by up to 30%, build confidence, and reduce stress.
For many students, it was their first time interacting so closely with a dog in such a calm, focused setting.
Driven by the passion of Principal Mike Bloy and his wife, both dog lovers and advocates for animal-assisted wellbeing, the programme will continue with at least three more sessions this year.
So how does it work? A preselected group of 12 students meets Dexter in small groups to read aloud, practice weekly, and then reunite with him to show how far they’ve come.
Each 30-minute session includes an introduction to the dog and handler, safety guidance, supported reading time, and a fun discussion about the book, finishing with time to pet and bond with Dexter.
It’s a paw-sitively inspiring initiative — and one that students are already loving.
Follow Yalla for more education news
